Ryan
The Homelander's Good Little Son?
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Original Name:莱恩 (lái ēn)Gender:MasculineKind:CharacterScope:Novel-specificStatus:ActiveSource:AIOccurrences:1,982Chapters:130
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Context Up ToCh. 124
Wiki ModelGPT-5.6 Terra
Image ModelGPT Image 2.5
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Biodata
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | Ryan |
| Alias | Son of Nature; Little Superman |
| Species | Superhuman (natural-born, inheriting Homelander's blood); V1-enhanced immortal candidate 2 117 |
| Age | 9 years old 60 |
| Gender | Male |
| Father | Homelander (Azu) 11 12 |
| Mother | Becca 2 4 |
| Grandfather | Soldier Boy 63 105 |
| Affiliation | Vought International; Vought Studios in the Marvel Universe; associated with The Seven and named among the proposed new Seven by Evil Homelander 14 26 123 |
| Place of Origin | New York (implied by interactions with New Yorkers) 60 |
| System | Best Actor System, which grants performance experience points to unlock, upgrade, and limit-break his abilities 1 3 21 |
| Superpowers | Heat Vision, Super Strength, Super Stamina, Super Senses, Flight, Self-Healing, and Bio-Field 83 100 101 |
| Unique Superpower | Steel Body (Level 6) 88 |
| Superpower History | First awakened Heat Vision at age 2; uses the Best Actor System as a hidden “cheat code” to upgrade skills and surpass inherited genetic limits 2 3 103 |
| Equipment | Former owner of the Blue-Gold Nano Steel Suit; current owner of the Rubik's Cube Treasure, an interdimensional travel artifact 63 64 83 |
| Role in the Superhero World | Publicly recognized as Homelander's son; protagonist of Supe: Son of Nature and Superhuman: In the Name of the Father; an emerging cross-universal celebrity and prospective member of a new Seven 18 60 123 124 |
Power Progression
| Ability | Level | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Defense | ||
| Steel Body | 2 | Skin and muscle mimicry of steel; resists armor-piercing rounds but transmits internal concussive damage. 3 |
| 3 | Unlocked at cost of 50,000 exp; further upgrade needed to reach Level 4. 21 | |
| 4 | Skin, muscle, and bone advanced to high-strength alloy mimicry; added defense for vulnerable areas (eyeballs, ear canals, oral cavity) equal to overall state; minor resistance to energy attacks, light radiation, and low-level mental damage. Upgrade cost 200,000 exp. 38 | |
| 5 | Reached the skill's original maximum level, placing Ryan's defense at the pinnacle of The Boys universe. 60 | |
| 6 | Limit-broken through the Bio-Field's cell-energy conversion mechanism; Ryan withstands Comic Black Noir's full-power Heat Vision without injury. 82 88 | |
| Strength and Stamina | ||
| Super Strength | 1 | Not described in detail; base level. 3 |
| 2 | Upgraded from 1 to 2 at cost of 30,000 exp. 60 | |
| 3 | Upgraded from 2 to 3 at cost of 100,000 exp. 60 | |
| 4 | Upgraded from 3 to 4 at cost of 300,000 exp; its exceptionally high cost indicates greater offensive potential than Steel Body. 60 | |
| 5 | Maxed during the battle against the Avengers; combined with cell-energy conversion and Flight, it enables Ryan to attack Vision at supersonic speed. 100 | |
| Super Stamina | 1 | Newly unlocked; base level. 6 |
| 3 | Targeted level; extends physical endurance during peak Steel Body defense, provides sustained energy for high-speed flight and self-healing. 43 | |
| 5 | Max level reached (upgrade from 1 to 5 total cost 175,000 exp); synergizes with Steel Body and Self-Healing. 60 | |
| Senses | ||
| Super Vision | 1 | Extreme long-range vision, clear sight within 100 meters; shallow x-ray vision (clothing, thin wood, thin walls); ineffective against metal, thick concrete; only zinc can fully block. Upgrade cost 3,000 exp. 3 |
| 3 | Upgraded from Level 1 to Level 3, substantially improving Ryan's ability to observe concealed movements and communicate covertly. 76 | |
| Super Hearing | 1 | Hearing far exceeding normal; whispers within 100 meters clearly distinguishable; can identify subtle ambient sounds and automatically lock onto sound source. Upgrade cost 3,000 exp. 3 |
| 3 | Upgraded from Level 1 to Level 3 alongside Super Vision. 76 | |
| Super Smell | 1 | Ability unlocked; not described in detail. 23 |
| Super Senses | 3 | Evolution of Super Vision, Super Hearing, and Super Smell into a unified sensory ability. It enables Ryan to detect deception, anticipate attacks, and evade threats such as Vision's Mind Beam. 83 96 101 |
| Energy / Heat Vision | ||
| Heat Vision | 1 | Naturally awakened; controllable low-temperature cauterization. Minimum power: heating fresh milk. Maximum power: can penetrate a 10-cm-thick wall, effective lethality against carbon-based organisms. Upgrade cost 5,000 exp. Possesses an awakened “Berserk” state that temporarily removes all power restrictions but shortens duration. 3 21 |
| 3 | Upgraded through biocellular energy conversion during the Avengers battle; Ryan uses it to sweep through Iron Man's remote-controlled armor. 101 | |
| Movement | ||
| Flight | 1 | Stable flight; can take off/hover in place, free ascent/descent, flexible turning, resistance to light winds; maximum speed 50 m/s (~180 km/h). Unlocked at cost of 2,000 exp. 3 |
| 4 | Upgraded by two further levels during the Avengers battle; Ryan breaks the sound barrier and can use his flight momentum offensively. 100 | |
| Healing & Resilience | ||
| Self-Healing | 1 | Ability unlocked; synergizes with Steel Body and Super Stamina. 6 23 |
| V1 Immortality | — | After unstable V1 was tested on three heinous superhumans, Ryan and Azu took the improved compound. Its surviving test subjects gained dramatically increased powers and near-immortality, later refined into a form of eternal life. 117 |
| Bio-Field | ||
| Minor Bio-electric Field | 1 | Preliminarily integrates all superpowers to ensure coordination, preventing conflicts between abilities of different levels; extends to skin surface, allowing clothing to be included in Steel Body's defense. It was initially locked against further advancement without an unknown external condition. 21 43 |
| Bio-Field | 2 | Unlocked when the Blue-Gold Nano Steel Suit disintegrated, granting Ryan 150,000 experience points. Its cell-energy conversion mechanism supports the limit-breaking of other abilities. 83 88 |
Equipment
| Equipment | Description |
|---|---|
| Blue-Gold Nano Steel Suit | A system-recognized suit that Homelander gave Ryan within Supe: Son of Nature. Its super-alloy material increased Ryan's defense by 2000%, its auxiliary thrusters increased flight speed by 30%, and its nano-memory metal allowed rapid self-repair. The suit later disintegrated, triggering the Bio-Field's Level 2 unlock. 63 83 |
| Rubik's Cube Treasure | A system-recognized miniature cube given to Ryan by Homelander in the film's post-credits scene. It can mark an unknown universe and make one one-way interdimensional trip per natural day while carrying up to two people. Its additional sides require spatial equipment to be shattered and used as origin power. 63 64 |
Personality and Traits
Ryan Butcher presents a complex and often contradictory personality, masked behind the facade of an innocent child. He is a masterful actor and manipulator, using his youthful appearance and feigned vulnerability to deceive everyone around him, particularly his father, Homelander, and the public 2 18 46. This strategic cunning is coupled with a maturity far beyond his years, allowing him to remain calm in volatile situations, think several steps ahead, and manipulate events to his advantage 27 44 47. Beneath this calculated exterior lies a genuine empathy for others, a desire for love and acceptance, and a determination to become strong enough to protect those he cares about, even as he navigates a world of corruption and power struggles 23 60 26.
- Manipulative and Cunning: Ryan consistently uses deception and emotional manipulation to control outcomes, whether by playing the “good boy” to gain Homelander's favor, provoking enemies, or extracting information from allies 2 3 39 44.
- Strategic Thinker: He demonstrates exceptional foresight, planning multiple moves ahead, such as creating a “Dad Pager” with limited tracking, using a livestream to shape Homelander's actions, and interrogating Dr. Cardosa to uncover a conspiracy 24 31 47.
- Emotionally Mature: Despite his young age, Ryan shows remarkable emotional control and the ability to defuse tense situations, as when he acted out a melodramatic scene to calm Azu's anger or spoke freely on a talk show to gain sympathy 18 27.
- Ambitious and Determined: He is driven by a clear ambition to surpass Homelander and become a true superman, actively upgrading his powers and planning to expose the human side of superheroes through his own film projects 3 60.
- Empathetic and Protective: Ryan shows genuine concern for others, such as deciding to help improve Homelander's public image out of understanding, suspecting Raven Mitchell was taken against her will, and choosing to protect ordinary people as a “good neighbor” 23 44 60.
- Observant and Curious: He is highly perceptive of his environment and the motivations of those around him, from exploring the Seven's base and noticing missing portraits to deducing Stan Edgar's manipulations 26 27 46.
- Cross-Universal Pragmatist: After entering the Marvel Universe, Ryan becomes increasingly willing to use force, deception, and political leverage against the Avengers when he believes Soldier Boy or his own people are being exploited. Nevertheless, he ultimately demands negotiation, medical aid, and compensation rather than pursuing indiscriminate destruction. 101 105
- Morally Utilitarian: Ryan is capable of approving morally compromising measures, including V1 tests on superhumans he considers heinous, but insists on personally limiting such actions rather than allowing Azu to act without restraint. 117
- Director and Image-Maker: Ryan treats filmmaking, celebrity, and public perception as instruments of power. He uses films to gain experience, create equipment, shape political narratives, and influence both Homelander and the Avengers. 64 103 118
- Protective of His Father Despite Misgivings: Although he recognizes Azu's instability and seeks to prevent his self-destruction, Ryan remains attached to him. He detects Evil Homelander's personality split, attempts to find a cure, and later encourages the persona to become the “National Protector Superman.” 78 123 124
Relationships
| Character | Relationship | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Ryan | Son of Homelander and Becca | A transmigrated individual who manipulates Homelander by feigning a desire for fatherly love, while secretly planning to reform him and protect his mother. He demonstrates strategic cunning, using his powers and knowledge to outmaneuver threats such as Stormfront, whom he provokes and defeats. 2 5 6 39 40 54 |
| Homelander | Father of Ryan | Initially volatile and controlling, Homelander becomes fiercely protective of Ryan, even killing Stormfront for endangering him. He craves Ryan’s acceptance and is deeply moved by Ryan’s pretended affection, showing rare vulnerability and patience. After Dormammu's influence creates Evil Homelander, Ryan recognizes the split personality and ultimately encourages the dominant persona to become the “National Protector Superman,” believing it can serve as a more stable father figure. 4 10 40 41 54 123 124 |
| Becca | Mother of Ryan | Fears Homelander and desperately wants Ryan to have a normal life. She forbids Homelander from seeing Ryan but cannot prevent their bond. She later seeks help from an unknown contact to counter Homelander’s influence. Becca participates in opposition to Azu during the Soldier Boy conflict, but she and Ryan later retain a close relationship, and Ryan recognizes her trust in him. 2 6 10 41 63 83 |
| Billy Butcher | Stepfather figure (Becca’s partner) | Stands with Becca against Homelander, believing Ryan can be a force for good. He supports Becca’s decision to seek outside help to deal with Homelander and Stormfront. He later joins the conflict surrounding Soldier Boy and continues to coordinate with Becca around Ryan's larger plans. 10 41 63 83 |
| Soldier Boy | Biological grandfather and uneasy ally | Ryan initially intends to exile Soldier Boy to prevent him from harming Azu, but later fights the Avengers alongside him after concluding they are exploiting Soldier Boy. Soldier Boy becomes deeply affected by Ryan's steadfast support and increasingly trusts his grandson, while Ryan seeks to use him as a connection between the two universes and guide him toward family reconciliation. 64 101 105 107 |
| Stormfront | Antagonist, threat to Ryan | A powerful supe who underestimates Ryan. She attacks him after being provoked, leading to her defeat at Ryan’s hands and her death at Homelander’s hands. 38 39 40 |
| Queen Maeve | Ally and mentor to Ryan | Trains Ryan in combat and expresses concern for his strength. She wants to protect him from becoming like Homelander and attempts to take him to his mother. She also rekindles her relationship with Homelander to manipulate him. After her comic counterpart's memories merge with her own, she becomes withdrawn and traumatized, particularly around Azu. 26 41 52 54 116 |
| Ashley | Vought executive and Ryan's loyal assistant | Former Vice President of Hero Management, laid off. She tries to reach Ryan in a crowd to ask for help, showing desperation. Later she becomes optimistic about her career. As Ryan's influence grows, Ashley becomes one of his most dependable operational allies, protects his whereabouts from Stan Edgar, and struggles to manage Vought while Ryan and Azu are absent. 23 54 117 |
| Countess of Crows / Raven Mitchell | Livestreamer and occasional ally | A girl with crows who notices Ryan flying. She tries to engage him in conversation, but he remains reserved. Her crow-linked ability can sense malice, making her valuable to Ryan; after surviving Cate's and Dean Shetty's interference, she continues to assist him as a trusted friend and actress. 10 23 36 54 |
| Starlight | Fellow supe and later opposing ally | Praises Ryan’s public apology and exchanges pleasantries with him, representing idealism among the supes. She later opposes Azu during the Soldier Boy conflict and is among the people Ryan must account for in his increasingly complicated plans. 26 63 |
| Black Noir | Sympathetic teammate; Comic Black Noir is an enemy | Ryan pities the original Black Noir after recognizing the tragedy behind his silence and brain damage, and he tries to offer him emotional validation. In contrast, Comic Black Noir becomes a major threat after crossing into Ryan's world; Ryan withstands his Heat Vision and resolves to kill him to understand the connection between comic and theatrical counterparts. 31 88 |
| Tony Stark / Iron Man | Marvel rival, business partner, and source of wary respect | Ryan clashes with Tony during the Avengers battle, where Tony's preparedness and artificial intelligence expose weaknesses in Ryan's tactics. They later negotiate through the Soldier Boy dispute, and Stark Industries subsequently supports Vought Studios and the premiere of Ryan's second film. 101 105 118 124 |
| The Ancient One | Powerful Marvel advisor and temporal informant | The Ancient One prevents Ryan and Soldier Boy from causing a catastrophic explosion, warns Ryan about possible futures, and relays a message from a future Ryan cautioning him against becoming a second Homelander. Her revelations push Ryan to consider the role of popularity, equipment, and interdimensional stability in his future. 101 103 104 |
| Nick Fury | Political adversary and reluctant negotiating partner | Fury initially treats Ryan and Soldier Boy as dangerous interdimensional threats, but negotiates after their conflict with the Avengers. He later seeks to contain Homelander through S.H.I.E.L.D., publicity, and Vought Studios, while Ryan recognizes and exploits the same system for his own filmmaking ambitions. 105 118 119 |
Background
Ryan was born as the result of Homelander's rape of Becca Butcher, a fact that shaped the circumstances of his entire early life 2 9. From birth, he possessed the complete memories of his previous life and a supernatural system that awarded acting experience points, allowing him to consciously hide his true nature and powers 1 2. At age two, Ryan naturally awakened his first superpower—heat vision—making him the only natural-born superhuman inheriting Homelander's blood, and thus Vought International's ultimate insurance policy against Homelander losing control 2. He was raised by Becca in a carefully curated, fake Truman Show-like town maintained by Vought, where every interaction was scripted and his world was designed to keep him ignorant of the truth 1 4 5. Despite this, Ryan used his precocious abilities—including enhanced hearing and analytical intelligence—to silently observe and understand the deception around him 5 6. When Homelander finally discovered Ryan's existence and tore down the illusion, Ryan made a calculated decision: he would play the role of an innocent child longing for his father's love, knowing his only chance to prevent a tragic outcome was to stay with Homelander and attempt to change him from within 2 4 9. He began actively manipulating Homelander by providing emotional warmth and carefully nurturing their bond, while simultaneously gathering information on his father's public image and past actions 6. Ryan's public debut—first on a talk show and then in a heartfelt live interview—catapulted him to global fame, as his unexpected maturity and sincere apology to a family affected by Homelander's actions won massive public sympathy and made him a symbol of hope for change 18 19 20. Over time, Ryan's influence grew: he manipulated Homelander into abandoning plans to storm Vought Tower, convinced him to dispose of a dangerous virus, and even forced Homelander to admit his mistakes regarding Queen Maeve 28 52. Key milestones in Ryan's background include:
- Birth and origin: Born from Homelander's rape of Becca 2 9.
- Transmigration and system: Possesses complete past-life memories and a supernatural system that rewards acting 1 2.
- Early powers: Awakened heat vision at age two, kept hidden from everyone 2.
- Fake upbringing: Raised in a Vought-controlled Truman Show town, but aware of the deception 1 4 5.
- Decision to stay: Refused to leave with Becca and Billy Butcher, choosing instead to stay with Homelander to try to redeem him 9.
- Public emergence: First revealed as Homelander's son on live television, then gained global fame through a viral apology 18 19 20.
- Manipulation and growth: Used his intelligence and emotional awareness to gradually influence Homelander's behavior, often acting as a moral compass 28 31 40 52.
- Film breakthrough: Ryan starred in Supe: Son of Nature, whose screening gave him 820,000 experience points. He used the windfall to maximize Steel Body and Super Stamina, raise Super Strength to Level 4, and emerge as a “good neighbor” who protects ordinary people rather than simply joining The Seven. 60
- System equipment and interdimensional travel: The film caused the Best Actor System to recognize the Blue-Gold Nano Steel Suit and Rubik's Cube Treasure because Homelander had given them to Ryan in the story. The Cube enabled Ryan and Soldier Boy to enter the Marvel Universe. 63 64
- Conflict with the Avengers: Ryan initially joins Soldier Boy in fighting the Avengers, using advanced senses, Flight, Super Strength, and Heat Vision to overwhelm several heroes. After learning Soldier Boy was being manipulated and exploited, Ryan changes course and forces a negotiation for an apology, compensation, film work, and healing for the injured. 96 100 101 105
- Limit-breaking and cross-universal filmmaking: Ryan's suit disintegrates and unlocks his Bio-Field, allowing his Steel Body to reach Level 6. He establishes Vought Studios in the Marvel Universe, uses entertainment as political cover, and continues producing films to gain experience and shape public perception. 83 88 107 118
- V1 and immortality: Ryan and Azu avoid personally testing unstable V1 until it is trialed on three selected superhumans. They subsequently take the compound after it grants surviving subjects immense enhancement and a path toward eternal life. 117
- Evil Homelander and the National Protector Superman: After Dormammu's magic causes Homelander's evil personality to take control, Ryan identifies the split and initially tries to restore his original father. At the premiere of Superhuman: In the Name of the Father, he instead affirms his wish for the persona to survive under the new identity “National Protector Superman.” 123 124
Ryan thus entered the world as both a product of trauma and a deliberate agent of change, balancing his own survival with the impossible task of reforming the most dangerous superhuman alive.
His later interdimensional experiences expand that task beyond reforming Homelander. Ryan becomes a young director, superhuman combatant, and political actor whose pursuit of power is inseparable from his pursuit of celebrity, family, and control over the stories that define heroes in both worlds 103 118 124.
Trivia
- Ryan's supernatural system awards acting experience points, enhancing his superpowers, and he consciously performs the role of a “good boy” to gain those points and manipulate those around him. 1 3
- During his first public appearance on a live talk show, eight-year-old Ryan deviated from the script to reveal he only recently learned about Homelander and hinted at conflict between his parents, successfully manipulating audience sympathy. 18
- In the same interview, Ryan spontaneously apologized to a civilian family whose house was destroyed by Homelander, causing a worldwide emotional response and a surge in Homelander's approval ratings. 19
- Ryan's proposed movie script introduced a supervillain who could transform into a Lizard Man — a direct reference to Ryan's own fear of lizards, which Stormfront openly disdained. 33
- The film Supe: Son of Nature depicted Ryan as a prisoner in a fake town created by Dr. Lizard Man, serving as an elaborate revenge plot against Homelander that involved stripping Homelander of his powers. 58
- Ryan unlocked the Flight skill after gaining experience from his early interactions with Homelander, and he immediately planned to use Homelander's protection to create his own film crew and adapt Spider-Man with himself in the lead. 3
- Ryan can hear distant conversations at superhuman range, a power he used to discover that his childhood world was a fabricated environment, leading Homelander to decide to take him away from it. 5
- At Godolkin University, Ryan broke into Cate Dunlap's locked dorm room by using his super-strength to smash the door open, then manipulated the situation to learn about the secret underground laboratory called “The Woods.” 46 47
- Ryan uncovered that Dean Indira Shetty, not Vought International, ordered the research in “The Woods” to develop a virus capable of killing supes, and that Cate Dunlap had altered Golden Boy's memories about his brother Sam. 47
- During the shooting of Ryan's movie, Ashley's assistant suddenly collapsed and developed blisters all over his body; amid the commotion, Ryan secretly used Ashley's phone to send a message. 37
- Ryan's first meeting with Black Noir left the silent supe uncomfortable under Ryan's intense, pitying gaze, as Ryan sensed the tragedy of Black Noir's past. 31
- After his powers returned from a temporary suppression, Ryan accidentally attacked his father, Azu (Homelander), in a fit of anger; Azu then scolded him but quickly hugged him and expressed his love. 28
- In an impulsive confession, Azu (Homelander) told Ryan that Queen Maeve was not his girlfriend and that she had dumped him for a woman, a revelation that visibly shocked Maeve. 28
- The Countess of Crows, a reserve team supe, was the first outsider to learn Homelander's secret about having a son; she was terrified upon seeing Homelander appear at her base. 11
- Ryan's favorite educational cartoon, “Gentle Return of the Block City,” promoted kindness and protecting the weak, and his mother Becca encouraged him to be good like the cartoon character Vought. 1
- The Best Actor System only recognized the two pieces of equipment in Supe: Son of Nature that Homelander personally gave Ryan within the film's plot, leading Ryan to conclude that a popular character's in-story gift is required for equipment manifestation. 64
- Ryan's Rubik's Cube Treasure lets him travel to a marked universe once each natural day, but only in one direction and while carrying no more than two people. 63
- Ryan took Comic Black Noir's full-power Heat Vision without bodily injury after his Steel Body limit-break, though his clothing was damaged. 88
- During the Avengers conflict, Ryan stole Captain America's shield, destroyed Iron Man's Anti-Soldier Boy Armor, and attempted to trigger Soldier Boy's chest cannon before the Ancient One reversed time to avert the blast. 101
- A future version of Ryan reportedly asked the Ancient One to warn his younger self not to return to the Marvel Universe if he intended to become a second Homelander; the same future version is said to have a relationship with Morgan Stark. 103
- Ryan coined and endorsed the title “National Protector Superman” for Evil Homelander, partly to give the personality a stable identity tied to Ryan's approval rather than Vought's control. 124
Appearances
1,982
Total Mentions
130
Chapters Appeared
15.25
Avg. per Chapter